Saturday, January 31, 2015

Hot Gas Utility Companies To Own For 2014

Caterpillar Inc.(CAT) shares have been a rare bright spot Monday amid a sea of red for U.S. stocks.

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Shares of the Dow component jumped as much as 7.1%�after the world’s biggest maker of construction and mining equipment’s fourth-quarter profit exceeded Wall Street’s forecasts. While Caterpillar’s results were boosted by aggressive cost-cutting measures, the company expects sales to level off this year after a difficult 2013.

“While some companies like to play dumb to reading the writing on the wall, it appears Caterpillar has acted decisively in addressing a slowdown in orders and as a result the outlook is in slightly less need of bulldozing than two quarters ago,” said�Andrew Wilkinson, chief market analyst at Interactive Brokers LLC(IBKR).

Top 10 Defensive Stocks To Own For 2015: Bob Evans Farms Inc.(BOBE)

Bob Evans Farms, Inc. owns and operates full-service restaurants under the Bob Evans and Mimi's Cafe brand names in the United States. It also sells retail gifts, food items, and other novelties in its Bob Evans Restaurants, and seven Bob Evans Restaurants & General Stores. As of January 27, 2012, the company owned and operated 564 Bob Evans family restaurants in 18 states; and 145 Mimi's Caf�casual restaurants in 24 states. It also produces and distributes food products under the Bob Evans and Owens brand names. The company?s food products include fresh, smoked, and fully cooked pork sausages; hickory-smoked bacon products; refrigerated and frozen convenience food items, such as mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, microwaveable sandwiches, and slow-roasted main dish entrees. In addition, it owns and operates SWH Custom Foods, a prep kitchen that prepares signature muffin mixes, dressings, sauces, and soups for third-party restaurants in Fullerton, California. The com pany was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Eric Volkman]

    Bob Evans Farms (NASDAQ: BOBE  ) is about to hatch another dividend. The company has declared its latest quarterly payout, which amounts to $0.275 per share. This will be paid on June 17 to shareholders of record as of June 3. That amount matches each of the firm's previous three disbursements, the most recent of which was paid in late March. Prior to that, Bob handed out $0.25 per share.

  • [By Holly LaFon]

    In the last several weeks, three hedge and mutual fund managers sold shares of their holdings where they own 5% or more of the company, according to GuruFocus Real Time Picks. Most of the managers made large gains on these sales, with one exception. John Paulson reduced his stake in Delphi (DLPH), Third Avenue reduced its stake in Skyline Corp. (SKY), and NWQ Managers reduced its stake in PrivateBancorp (PVTB) and Bob Evans Farms (BOBE). John Paulson and Delphi Auto Plc (DLPH)

  • [By Laura Brodbeck]

    Tuesday

    Earnings Expected: Bob Evans Farms (NASDAQ: BOBE), Analog Devices (NASDAQ: ADI), TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO), Best Buy (NYSE: BBY), DSW (NYSE: DSW) Sanderson Farms (NASDAQ: SAFM) Economic Releases Expected: U.S. consumer confidence, U.S. house price index, U.S. Redbook, U.S. durable goods orders

    Wednesday

Hot Gas Utility Companies To Own For 2014: Gentex Corp (GNTX)

Gentex Corporation is a supplier of automatic-dimming (auto-dimming) rear-view mirrors and camera-based lighting-assist features to the global automotive industry. The Company also provides commercial smoke alarms and signaling devices to the North American fire protection market, as well as dimmable aircraft windows for the commercial, business and general aviation markets. The Company is involved in designing, developing, manufacturing and marketing interior and exterior auto-dimming automotive rear-view mirrors that utilize electrochromic technology to dim in proportion to the amount of headlight glare from trailing vehicle headlamps. The Company also manufactures non-automatic-dimming rear-view automotive mirrors with electronic features. On September 27, 2013, the Company acquired Johnson Controls' HomeLink business.

Automotive Mirrors

The interior auto-dimming mirror offers reflectance levels between its approximate 85% full-reflectance state and its 5% least-reflectance state, taking just a few seconds to span the entire range. Special electro-optic sensors in the mirror detect glare and electronic circuitry supplies electricity to darken the mirror to level required to eliminate glare, allowing the driver to maintain maximum vision. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company began making shipments of its auto-dimming mirrors for over 25 additional small/mid-sized vehicles manufactured by Hyundai/Kia, Nissan, Opel/Vauxhall, Peugeot/Citroen, Toyota/Lexus, VW/Audi and Geely/Volvo. As of December 31, 2011, the Company was supplying mirrors for, Chrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Kia Motors, Lexus, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, SAIC, Suzuki, Samsung, Toyota and Volkswagen/Audi in Asia.

The Company offers its exterior auto-dimming mirrors with turn-signal indicators and side blind zone features. The Company sells its exterior auto-dimming mirror sub-assemblies to exterior mirror suppliers of the automakers who assemble the exterior auto-dimmi! ng mirror sub-assemblies into full mirror units for subsequent resale to the automakers. During 2011, the Company shipped approximately 5,288,000 exterior auto-dimming mirror sub-assemblies. As of December 31, 2011, the Company was shipping interior auto-dimming mirrors, which was standard equipment or factory-installed options on certain trim levels to the manufacturers. The Company�� exterior auto-dimming mirrors are controlled by the sensors and electronic circuitry in the interior auto-dimming mirror, and both the interior and exterior mirrors dim simultaneously.

Non-Automatic-Dimming Rearview Mirrors

As of December 31, 2011, auto-dimming mirrors offered by the Company include headlamp control, lighted light emitting diode (LED) map lamps, compass, remote keyless entry, compass/temperature mirror, compass/temperature dual display, telematics, HomeLink, tire pressure display, hands free communication, trip functions display, indicator LED�� for alarm system, exterior turn signal and side blind zone mirrors. As of December 31, 2011, the Company was shipping auto-dimming mirrors with SmartBeam for 66 vehicle models with 12 automakers. Its SmartBeam product includes variable forward lighting (VFL) and dynamic forward lighting (DFL). VFL automates high-beam and low-beam switching.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company shipped approximately 1,045,000 SmartBeam units and shipping auto-dimming mirrors with SmartBeam for 66 vehicle models with 12 automakers. As of December 31, 2011, the Company is shipping auto-dimming mirrors with its RCD Mirror for 57 vehicle models with nine automakers. The Company is also shipping auto-dimming mirrors with its RCD Mirror for over 20 aftermarket or dealer-installed programs. The Company�� compass technology can be sold as a system with the compass heading displayed in the interior auto-dimming mirror. The Gentex compass technology is called Z-Nav, as it features a digital, tri-axis sensor (transducer) and software. The tri-axis! design i! s similar to compasses used in scientific apparatus, such as aerospace applications, and can be mounted on any fixed or pivotal location in the vehicle, including inside the mirror housing.

In North America, the Company markets its products primarily through a direct sales force. The Company supplies auto-dimming mirrors and mirrors to its customers worldwide under annual blanket purchase orders. The Company supplies auto-dimming mirrors to General Motors Corporation and Chrysler LLC under long-term agreements. As of December 31, 2011, the Company was supplying mirrors for, Chrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Kia Motors, Lexus, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, SAIC, Suzuki, Samsung, Toyota and Volkswagen/Audi in Asia. During 2011, the Company marketed and sold auto-dimming mirrors into the domestic the People�� Republic of China automotive market, by shipping product directly through the global automakers��joint venture relationships and indirectly into the People�� Republic of China through global automakers export divisions.

Fire Protection Products

The Company manufactures approximately 55 different models of smoke alarms and smoke detectors, combined with over 100 different models of signaling appliances. All the smoke detectors/alarms operate on a photoelectric principle to detect smoke. Photoelectric detectors/alarms feature low light-level detection, while ionization detectors utilize an ionized atmosphere, the electrical conductivity, of which varies with changes in the composition of the atmosphere. The Company�� fire protection products provide the flexibility to be wired as part of multiple-function systems and consequently are generally used in fire detection systems common to office buildings, hotels, motels, military bases, college dormitories and other commercial establishments. The Company also offers single-station alarms for both commercial and residential applications.

The Company�� fire protection products are sold di! rectly to! fire protection and security product distributors under the Company�� brand name, to electrical wholesale houses, and to original equipment manufacturers of fire protection systems under both the Company�� brand name and private labels. The Company markets its fire protection products globally through regional sales managers and manufacturer representative organizations.

Dimmable Aircraft Windows

The Company provides variably dimmable windows for the passenger compartment on the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner series of aircraft. PPG Aerospace works together to provide variably dimmable windows for the passenger compartment on the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner series of aircraft. The Company jointly markets and sells its variable dimmable windows to aircraft manufacturers with PPG Aerospace.

The Company competes with Magna International.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Chris Hill]

    In this installment of Motley Fool Money, our analysts talk about why they're watching Dynamic Materials (NASDAQ: BOOM  ) , Gentex (NASDAQ: GNTX  ) , and Western Union (NYSE: WU  ) .

Hot Gas Utility Companies To Own For 2014: Paradise Inc (PARF)

Paradise, Inc., incorporated in September, 1961, conducts operations through two business segments: Candied Fruit and Molded Plastics. The Candied Fruit segment is engaged in the production of candied fruit, a basic fruitcake ingredient, sold to manufacturing bakers, institutional users, and retailers for use in home baking. Based on market conditions, it is also engaged in the processing of frozen strawberry products for sale to commercial and institutional users, such as preservers, dairies and drink manufacturers. The Molded Plastics segment is engaged in the production of plastic containers for the Company�� products and other molded plastics for sale to unaffiliated customers.

During the year ended December 31, 2011, in terms of candied fruit sales, approximately 20% were shipped to manufacturing bakers and other institutional users, with the balance being sold through supermarkets and other retail outlets for ultimate use in the home. Sales to retail outlets are usually generated through registered food brokers operating in exclusively franchised territories.

The Company�� trademarks Paradise, Dixie, Mor-Fruit and Sun-Ripe are registered with the appropriate Federal and State authorities for use on the Company�� candied fruit. During 2011, the Company derived approximately 15% of its consolidated net sales from Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Geoff Gannon]

    What is the advantage of being a huge company? There are some. For one, we know the business is ��or was ��growable. A lot of small companies stay small because their circle of competence is small. Paradise (PARF) is an over the counter stock. It has a market cap of $10 million. And it dominates the candied fruit market in the U.S. Why isn�� the company bigger?

Hot Gas Utility Companies To Own For 2014: Speedway Motorsports Inc.(TRK)

Speedway Motorsports, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a promoter, marketer, and sponsor of motor sports activities in the United States. The company principally owns and operates Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Infineon Raceway, Kentucky Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and Texas Motor Speedway racing facilities. The company also provides souvenir merchandising services; food, beverage, and hospitality catering services; and radio programming, production, and distribution services. In addition, it develops electronic media promotional programming; and distributes wholesale and retail racing, and other sports related souvenir merchandise and apparel. Further, the company manufactures and distributes smaller-scale, modified racing cars and parts; and produces and sells an environmentally-friendly micro-lubricant. Speedway Motorsports has a joint venture with International Speedway Corporat ion to produce, market, and sell licensed motorsports collectible and consumer products, primarily trackside event souvenir merchandising. The company was founded in 1959 and is based in Concord, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Calling all cash flows
    When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Speedway Motorsports (NYSE: TRK  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Calling all cash flows
    When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Speedway Motorsports (NYSE: TRK  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Stryker Corporation to Acquire Patient Safety Technologies for $120M (SYK)

Biotech giant Stryker Corporation (SYK) announced on Tuesday that it has signed a definitive agreement to purchase Patient Safety Technologies, Inc. (PSTX) for a total of $120 million.

SYK will acquire PSTX for $2.22 per share, or $120 million. Patient Safety Technologies is a subsidiary of SurgiCount Medical and is the owner of the Safety-Sponge System and SurgiCount 360. These technologies help prevent Retained Foreign Objects (RFOs) in the operating room, which lowers costs and improves patient safety.

Top Stocks To Invest In

The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and approval by the shareholders of Patient Safety Technologies. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2014.

Stryker shares were mostly flat during premarket trading Tuesday. The stock is up 37% YTD.

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Hot Dow Dividend Stocks To Watch Right Now

The stock market is off to a hot start in 2013, but shares of some companies are lagging behind. The financial sector has been one of the best performers, but most of the gains have been led by the biggest U.S. banks.

In this video, Motley Fool banking analysts David Hanson and Matt Koppenheffer discuss three bank stocks that are losing to the market and why it doesn't surprise them.

A conservative portfolio, quality long-term management, and a huge dividend -- it would seem that there's a lot to like about New York Community Bancorp. But is it really that simple? To help you figure out whether New York Community Bancorp is a buy today, check out The Motley Fool's premium research report on the bank. Click here now for instant access!

Best India Stocks For 2015: China Mobile(Hong Kong)

China Mobile Limited, an investment holding company, provides mobile telecommunications and related services primarily in the Mainland China. It offers various services comprising local calls, domestic long distance calls, international long distance calls, domestic roaming, and international roaming. The company also provides voice value-added services, including caller identity display, caller restrictions, call waiting, call forwarding, call holding, voice mail, and conference calls; customer-to-customer messages and corporate short message services; and mobile Internet access services. In addition, it engages in other data businesses, which primarily include multimedia messaging services; color ring services that enable users to customize the answer ring tone from various selection of songs, melodies, sound effects, or voice recordings; and mobile reading, mobile gaming, mobile video, mobile payment/wallet, mobile TV, mobile market, and Internet data center services. F urther, the company offers telecommunications network planning, design, and consulting services; roaming clearance services; technology platform development and maintenance services; and mobile data solutions, and system integration and development services, as well as operates a network and business coordination center. Additionally, China Mobile Limited sells mobile phone handsets and devices. As of March 31, 2011, it served approximately 600.8 million customers. The company was formerly known as China Mobile (Hong Kong) Limited and changed its name to China Mobile Limited in May 2006. China Mobile was founded in 1997. The company is based in Central, Hong Kong, and is considered a Red Chip company due to its listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. China Mobile Limited is a subsidiary of China Mobile Hong Kong (BVI) Limited.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By GuruFocus]

    China Mobile Ltd. was incorporated under the laws of Hong Kong on Sept. 3, 1997, as a limited liability company under the name China Telecom (Hong Kong) Limited. China Mobile Ltd. has a market cap of $194.9 billion; its shares were traded at around $48.48 with a P/E ratio of 9.70 and P/S ratio of 2.20. The dividend yield of China Mobile Ltd. stocks is 4.20%. China Mobile Ltd. had an annual average earnings growth of 16.60% over the past 10 years. GuruFocus rated China Mobile Ltd.�the business predictability rank of 3.5-star.

Hot Dow Dividend Stocks To Watch Right Now: Deutsche Boerse AG (DBOEF)

Deutsche Boerse AG is a Germany-based international financial marketplace operator. It operates four business segments: Xetra; Eurex; Clearstream, and Market Data & Analytics. The Xetra business segment comprises three business areas: cash market using the Xetra electronic trading system and Xetra Frankfurt specialist trading; central counterparty for equities, and admission of securities to listing. The Eurex business segment comprises four business areas: electronic derivatives market trading platform Eurex; electronic options trading platform ISE; over-the-counter trading platforms Eurex Bonds, Eurex Repo, and Eurex Clearing. The Clearstream business segment comprises three business areas: custody, administration and settlement services for securities; global securities financing services, and investment funds services. The Market Data & Analytics business segment comprises two business areas: sales of price information and information distribution, and index development and sales. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Mark Thompson]

    The contracts are often cleared through exchanges such as CME and Eurex, operated by Deutsche Boerse (DBOEF).

    CME said it would gradually apply an additional "event risk" margin of 12% to all over-the-counter interest rate swaps due to the "additional uncertainty brought by the debt ceiling debate."

Hot Dow Dividend Stocks To Watch Right Now: Sky-mobi Limited(MOBI)

Sky-mobi Limited engages in the operation of a mobile application store in the People?s Republic of China. It works with handset companies to pre-install its Maopao mobile application store on handsets and with content developers to provide users with applications and content titles. The users of its Maopao store could browse, download, and purchase a range of applications and content, such as single-player games, mobile music, and books. The company?s Maopao store enables mobile applications and content to be downloaded and run on various mobile handsets with hardware and operating system configurations. It also operates a mobile social network community, the Maopao Community, where it offers localized mobile social games, as well as applications and content with social network functions to its registered members. The company owns proprietary mobile application technology in the cloud computing, the MRP format, and SDK development environment. As of March 31, 2011, it had entered into cooperation agreements with approximately 523 handset companies to pre-install Maopao. The company was formerly known as Profit Star Limited and changed its name to Sky-Mobi Limited in October 2010. Sky-mobi Limited was incorporated in 2007 and is headquartered in Hangzhou, China.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Roberto Pedone]

    Another stock that's starting to move within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Sky-mobi (MOBI), which, through its subsidiaries, engages in the operation of a mobile application platform embedded on mobile phones to provide mobile application store and services in the People�s Republic of China. This stock has been red hot so far in 2013, with shares up a whopping 88%.

    If you look at the chart for Sky-mobi, you'll notice that this stock recently formed a triple bottom chart pattern at $3.31, $3.28 and $3.40 a share. That bottoming pattern occurred over the last two months. Shares of MOBI have now started to uptrend and flirt with its 50-day moving average of $3.76 a share. That move is quickly pushing MOBI within range of triggering a big breakout trade.

    Traders should now look for long-biased trades in MOBI if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $3.71 to $3.83 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 145,934 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then MOBI will set up to re-test or possibly take out its 52-week high at $4.96 a share. Any high-volume move above that level will then give MOBI a chance to tag its next major overhead resistance levels at $5.55 to $6.13 a share.

    Traders can look to buy MOBI off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $3.40 to $3.28 a share. One can also buy MOBI off strength once it takes out that breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

Hot Dow Dividend Stocks To Watch Right Now: ViewPoint Financial Group Inc.(VPFG)

ViewPoint Financial Group, Inc. operates as the holding company for ViewPoint Bank, which provides financial services for consumers and businesses. Its deposit products include checking, savings, money market, demand accounts, and certificates of deposit. The company?s loan portfolio comprises real estate loans, such as one-to four-family, commercial construction, and home equity loans, as well as commercial real estate loans for office buildings, retail centers, light industrial facilities, warehouses, and multifamily properties; consumer loans, including new and used automobile loans, recreational vehicle loans, loans secured by savings deposits, and unsecured consumer loans; and commercial non-mortgage loans, including loans to finance business working capital, commercial vehicles, and equipment, as well as lines of credit. It also offers brokerage services for the purchase and sale of non-deposit investment and insurance products through a third party brokerage arrang ement. As of March 31, 2011, the company operated 23 community bank offices in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and 13 loan production offices located in Texas, Oklahoma, and Ohio. ViewPoint Financial Group, Inc. is headquartered in Plano, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rich Smith]

    Plano, Texas-based ViewPoint Financial Group (NASDAQ: VPFG  ) is looking for a new CFO.

    On Wednesday, just before investors packed their bags for the holiday, ViewPoint announced that Chief Financial Officer Pathie E. McKee�intends to resign from the bank holding company at the end of this month. She will continue assisting ViewPoint in the capacity of a consultant through the end of the year, however, helping to ensure a smooth transition for her replacement.

  • [By John Udovich]

    Texas has set another record for job creation�with small cap Texas banking stock like Texas Capital Bancshares (NASDAQ: TCBI), ViewPoint Financial Group (NASDAQ: VPFG) and First Financial Bankshares (NASDAQ: FFIN) naturally being well positioned to take advantage of the Texas economic miracle (see my previous article: Texas is Booming and So Are These Texas Stocks (EE, TPL & ATO)). I should�add that I wrote about�these Texas banking stocks back in late 2012�(see: Don�� Mess With Texas Banking Stocks TCBI, VPFG & FFIN) and the Texas Workforce Commission has just�reported that the Texas economy added 36,400 jobs in September while over the past 12 months, employers added 413,700 jobs ��the most ever recorded by the state. Moreover, several companies surveyed by the Dallas Fed responded by saying�they are seeing labor market tightness�while companies are saying they are experiencing upward wage pressures�and�staffing�firms�note that�candidates are often receiving multiple offers.

Hot Dow Dividend Stocks To Watch Right Now: Bed Bath & Beyond Inc.(BBBY)

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates a chain of retail stores. It sells a range of domestic merchandise, such as bed linens and related items, bath items, and kitchen textiles; and home furnishings, including kitchen and tabletop items, fine tabletop, basic housewares, general home furnishings, consumables, and certain juvenile products. The company also offers giftware, household products, and health and beauty care items; and infant and toddler merchandise. It operates stores under the names of Bed Bath & Beyond (BBB), Christmas Tree Shops (CTS), Harmon and Harmon Face Values (Harmon), and buybuy BABY. As of August 27, 2011, the company had a total of 1,155 stores, including 986 BBB stores, 70 CTS stores, 54 buybuy BABY stores, and 45 Harmon stores in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Canada. It also operates two stores under the name of Home & More in the Mexico City through a joint venture. Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. was foun ded in 1971 and is based in Union, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rich Smith]

    This series, brought to you by Yahoo! Finance, looks at which upgrades and downgrades make sense, and which ones investors should act on. Today, our headlines include a pair of retail downgrades for shopping center staples Bed Bath & Beyond (NASDAQ: BBBY  ) and PetSmart (NASDAQ: PETM  ) . But the news isn't all bad, so why don't we end the week on a bright note, and look first at why one analyst thinks...

5 Best Japanese Stocks To Own Right Now

Following a dream often takes a healthy dose of courage��nd a giant leap of faith. These three women have broken down barriers and rattled glass ceilings in fields typically run by the boys. They have a secret to share: You can do it, too!

Shaking up the world of sushi: NIKI NAKAYAMA

"I realized at some point that I don't need to think like a man in order to produce things that men produce. I just need to go my own way and stay focused."

At first glance, it may seem as if Niki Nakayama was born to be a sushi chef. Her parents own a fish-distribution company in California, and she grew up surrounded by seafood of all kinds.

But it was only later, in culinary school, that something clicked: Japanese cuisine suddenly made sense to her and, she realized, fit her personality.

Top 10 Beverage Companies To Buy For 2015: ExamWorks Group Inc. (EXAM)

ExamWorks Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides independent medical examinations (IME), peer and bill reviews, and related services in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Its IME services are used by clients to confirm the veracity of claims by sick or injured individuals for workers� compensation, automotive, personal injury liability, and disability insurance coverage. The company also offers peer review services, including medical record reviews, nurse file reviews, and utilization reviews by members of its medical panel to provide medical opinion of a claimant�s condition and treatment; bill review services, such as physician and hospital bill reviews, and surgical cost estimates; and other IME related services comprising litigation support, medical record retrieval, administrative support services, and managed technology services. ExamWorks Group, Inc. provides its services through its medical panel of independently contract ed physicians and other medical providers. It serves property and casualty insurance carriers, law firms, third-party claim administrators, government agencies, and state funds. The company was incorporated in 2007 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Roberto Pedone]

    Examworks Group (EXAM) is a provider of independent medical examinations, peer and bill reviews and related services. This stock closed up 9.4% at $24.28 in Wednesday's trading session.

    Wednesday's Volume: 1.62 million

    Three-Month Average Volume: 209,788

    Volume % Change: 583%

    From a technical perspective, EXAM exploded higher here right off some near-term support at $21.91 with heavy upside volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last six months, with shares soaring higher from its low of $13.79 to its intraday high of $24.40. During that uptrend, shares of EXAM have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. This move also pushed shares of EXAM into breakout territory, since the stock took out its former 52-week high at $23.56.

     

    Traders should now look for long-biased trades in EXAM as long as it's trending above $23 or $22.50 and then once it sustains a move or close above Wednesday's high of $24.40 with volume that hits near or above 209,788 shares. If we get that move soon, then EXAM will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $28 to $30.

5 Best Japanese Stocks To Own Right Now: Assa Abloy AB (ASAZY.PK)

Assa Abloy AB is a Sweden-based company engaged in the secure door opening solutions. It is organized into five divisions: Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), North and South America (Americas), Asia, Australia and New Zealand (Asia Pacific), Global Technologies and Entrance Systems. The EMEA, Americas and Asia Pacific divisions manufacture mechanical and electromechanical locks, security doors and hardware in their respective geographical markets. The Global Technologies division operates in the product areas of access control systems, secure card issuance, identification technology and hotel locks. The Entrance Systems division is a supplier of entrance automation products and services. The Company�� subsidiaries include ASSA Sverige AB, Timelox AB and ABLOY Holdings Ltd., among others. In November 2013, it acquired Ameristar Fence Products Inc, a manufacturer of ornamental fences and gates. In January 2014, it acquired IdenTrust. In February 2014, it acquired Lumidigm. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Weighing Machine]

    Domiciled in Sweden, Assa Abloy (ASAZY.PK) is the largest lock maker in the world with a global market share of nearly 12%. While the construction market has been difficult since the financial crisis, Assa has continued to increase revenue and operating profit every year since 2010 and is on track to do so again in 2013. While commercial construction has been subdued, the aftermarket (which represents ~70% of the total lock market) is driven by changes in tenancy, renovation, and extensions have not been very cyclical and provides the company with a steady stream of profits. Assa has been cobbled together through 150+ acquisitions since the early 1990s and while management has done a good job of rationalizing facilities, there remain opportunities to increase manufacturing efficiencies. Similarly, the company's back office is still running dozens of IT systems (as a result of acquisitions) but management plans to consolidate these over the next few years. Further, Assa remains an active consolidator of the locks industry - it should be able to add 5% per year to sales via acquisitions (as an aside, those interested in micro-caps should have a look at Securidev in France which trades at less than half the private market value Assa has paid for lock makers on average over the past decade). Having the highest margins in the industry, Assa is able to achieve significant synergies on acquired businesses and earn good returns on capital for its shareholders through M&A. Thus even in a difficult economy, we expect Assa will continue to grow its operating profit given its steady after market revenue, opportunity to improve results through cost cutting, and through value accretive M&A. While its shares are not cheap, at 19x earnings, shares could offer investors with a five year holding period and an 8-10% annualized return.

5 Best Japanese Stocks To Own Right Now: Exterran Holdings Inc. (EXH)

Exterran Holdings, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides operations, maintenance, service, and equipment for oil and natural gas production, processing, and transportation applications. The company�s Contract Operations segment offers natural gas compression and production, and processing services, as well as engages in the engineering, procurement, and on site construction of natural gas compression stations and/or crude oil or natural gas production and processing facilities. As of December 31, 2011, this segment provided contract operations services primarily using a fleet of 8,485 natural gas compression units with an aggregate capacity of approximately 3,632,000 horsepower in North America; and a fleet of 1,063 units with an aggregate capacity of approximately 1,260,000 horsepower internationally. Its Aftermarket Services segment sells parts and components; and provides operation, maintenance, overhaul, and reconfiguration services for compression, productio n, treating, and oilfield power generation equipment. The company�s Fabrication segment engages in the design, engineering, installation, fabrication, and sale of natural gas compression units, and accessories and equipment used in the production, treatment, and processing of crude oil and natural gas; provision of engineering, procurement, and fabrication services primarily related to the manufacturing of critical process equipment for refinery and petrochemical facilities; and fabrication of tank farms, and evaporators and brine heaters for desalination plants. Its products include line heaters, oil and natural gas separators, glycol dehydration units, condensate stabilizers, dewpoint control plants, water treatment, mechanical refrigeration and cryogenic plants, and skid-mounted production packages designed for onshore and offshore production facilities. The company was founded in 1990 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Exterran Holdings (NYSE: EXH  ) is expected to report Q1 earnings on May 2. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:

    The 10-second takeaway
    Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict Exterran Holdings's revenues will grow 21.6% and EPS will turn positive

5 Best Japanese Stocks To Own Right Now: British/Swiss Franc(UN)

UNILEVER N.V. operates as a fast-moving consumer goods company in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. It offers personal care products, including skin care and hair care products, deodorants, and oral care products under the brand names of Axe, Brylcreem, Dove, Fissan, Lifebuoy, Lux, Pond's, Radox, Rexona, Signal & Close Up, Simple, St Ives, Sunsilk, TRESemm� Vaseline, and VO5. The company also provides home care products comprising laundry tablets, powders and liquids, soap bars, and various cleaning products under the Cif, Comfort, Domestos, Omo, Radiant, Sunlight, and Surf brand names. In addition, it offers food products consisting of soups, bouillons, sauces, snacks, mayonnaise, salad dressings, margarines and spreads, as well as cooking products, such as liquid margarines. The company markets its food products under the brand names of Becel/Flora, Bertolli, Blue Band, Rama, Hellmann?s, Amora, and Knorr. Further, it provides refreshment products, which include ice cream, tea-based beverages, weight-management products, and nutritionally enhanced staples under the brand names of Heartbrand, Lipton, and Slim?Fast. UNILEVER N.V. sells its products through its own sales force, as well as through independent brokers, agents, and distributors to chain, wholesale, co-operative and independent grocery accounts, food service distributors, and institutions. The company, formerly known as Naamlooze Vennootschap Margarine Unie, was founded in 1927 and is based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Unilever N.V. is a subsidiary of The Unilever Group.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Philip Springer]

    What’s this week’s big story for investors?

    Candidate #1: RadioShack (NYSE: RSH) said it will close up to 1,100 of its nearly 5,200 US stores amid widening losses. The company also announced that revenue in the fourth quarter of 2013 fell 20 percent from year-earlier levels.

    It doesn’t matter whether the latest announcement is in addition to or merely an expansion of the company’s Feb. 5 statement that it would close 500 stores. That, in turn, shortly followed the beleaguered company’s $4 million expenditure for a widely praised but clearly ill-timed 30-second ad during the Super Bowl.

    Also this week, Radio Shack agreed to pay its top executives “retention” bonuses, saying their skills are critical to the company�� comeback plan. CEO Joe Magnacca will get a $500,000 payment, while other executives will receive $187,500 to $275,000.

    The stock currently trades around $2, down from its 1999 peak of $61.

    No, that’s not the week’s big story. But it was too good to ignore.

    Candidate #2: The current bull market celebrates its fifth birthday this week, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 delivering a total return of about 175 percent during that time.

    Since 1921, the median bull market has been 50 months long and has delivered 115 percent in price appreciation. So this market is older and better than most. Still, the conditions aren’t yet present to suggest the end is near. Indeed, Wednesday’s advance, the best of the year to date, was exceptional for both its breadth and heavy volume.

    The five-year anniversary also means that stocks, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds and so on will boast very good five-year returns. Don’t be overly impressed. Reason: Almost everybody will be a winner. (Other than Radio Shack.) But you should dig deeper: Comparisons will be useful to sort out leaders and laggards for potential investme

  • [By MONEYMORNING]

    Own a giant, global player in consumer goods that has a diversified array of household brand-name products that are sold all over the world and that pays a fat dividend. Unilever N.V. (ADR) (NYSE: UN) is one.

  • [By Laura Brodbeck]

    Next week investors will be waiting for several key earnings reports including Unilever NV (NYSE: UN), Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL), Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT).

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Hot Integrated Utility Stocks For 2015

Hot Integrated Utility Stocks For 2015: Northwest Pipe Company (NWPX)

Northwest Pipe Company manufactures and markets large-diameter, high-pressure steel pipeline systems for use in water infrastructure applications, primarily related to drinking water systems. Its pipeline systems are also used for hydroelectric power systems, wastewater systems, and other applications. The company also manufactures smaller diameter, electric resistance welded steel pipes and other welded steel pipe products for use in a range of applications, including energy, construction, agriculture, industrial, and traffic signpost systems. In addition, it manufactures products for various structural piling applications and in-plant pipeline systems for power plants and other industrial applications. The company sells its water transmission products to public water agencies directly or through installation contractors; and tubular products to distributors and original equipment manufacturers through a network of direct sales force personnel and sales agents in the Unit ed States and Canada. Northwest Pipe Company was founded in 1966 and is based in Vancouver, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Aaron Levitt]

    Enter Northwest Pipe (NWPX).

    NWPX is the leading supplier of high-pressure steel pipe used in wastewater, hydroelectric power and potable drinking water applications. While Northwests steel pipes are more expensive to install and use than similar concrete ones, water authorities in dryer climates prefer them as they have zero evaporation rises.

  • source from Top Stocks To Buy For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/hot-integrated-utility-stocks-for-2015-2.html

Monday, January 26, 2015

Hot Consumer Stocks To Watch For 2014

Despite a sluggish PC market, shares of Intel (NASDAQ: INTC  ) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT  ) have been bucking the trend this year. Both companies have outperformed the broader indexes by a hefty margin, which could indicate that investors are anticipating a PC resurgence may be near. However, there isn't much convincing evidence to support the belief that the state of the PC market is currently improving.

The latest estimates from IDC and Gartner point to a second consecutive year of decline in worldwide PC shipments. At this point, it's become pretty clear that the rise of tablets has been cannibalizing the consumer PC replacement cycle for everyday users. Considering that 65% of the PC market is consumer-facing, this is a bit problematic for both tech giants.

Perhaps investors are betting that between the revamp of Windows 8.1 and the upcoming introduction of Intel Haswell and Bay Trail, the PC industry can mitigate some of the cannibalization from mobile computing?

Top Gas Utility Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd (STBFY)

Suntory Beverage & Food Limited is principally engaged in the manufacture and sale of beverages and food. The Company operates in two geographical segments. The Domestic segment is engaged in the manufacture and sale of various soft drinks within Japan, such as coffee drinks, mineral water, green tea drinks, tea drinks, carbonated drinks, fruit juice drinks, functional beverages, milk beverages, and food for specified health use, as well as syrup for general and business usage. The International segment is engaged in the manufacture and sale of carbonated drinks, fruit juice drinks, health food, seasoning, tea-based beverages and others, with operations in Europe, Oceania, Asia and the Americas. As of May 29, 2013, the Company had 80 subsidiaries and 10 associated companies. On October 15, 2013, the Company acquired Lucozade Ribena Suntory Limited. On December 12, 2013, the Company acquired Suntory Beverage & Food Europe Limited. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Udovich]

    Whiskey has become increasingly cool and popular thanks to the whole cocktail movement, something that�� good for big whiskey stocks like Suntory Beverage & Food Limited (OTCMKTS: STBFY), Diageo plc (NYSE: DEO) and Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE: BF.B) who�also produce a wide variety of�liquors and beverages. In fact,�a recent episode of the�Daily Ticker�cited these stats from a USA Today article:

  • [By Charles Sizemore]

    Let�� start with Suntory Beverage & Food Limited (STBFY),which recently completed its acquisition of�Beam Inc., formerly the purest play on bourbon. Beam was the owner of the eponymous Jim Beam brand, as well as the higher-end Maker�� Mark and Knob Creek and the lower-end Old Crow.�Suntory is Japan�� leading spirits company, though most Americans will be unfamiliar with its Japanese whisky brands, such as Yamazaki and Hakushu. (Note for booze snobs: Japanese whisky��ike Scotch and Canadian whisky��s correctly spelled ��hisky.��American bourbon, Tennessee whiskey and Irish whiskey are correctly spelled ��hiskey.��

Hot Consumer Stocks To Watch For 2014: Bonamour Inc (BONI)

Bonamour, Inc., incorporated on August 21, 2002, is a developer, distributor and reseller of health and beauty products and originator of the mind-body system. The Company�� products are sold under the Bonamour name. It has three skin care products, which it markets as Bonamour�� Rejuvenating Trio. These products include a rejuvenating skin cleanser, a cellular renewal complex and an anti-aging eye cream. All three products are formulated with its Bonamour Blend Active Plant Stem Cell Technology.

KLENZ is Bonamour�� rejuvenating skin cleanser. The cleanser is designed to cleanse and soften the skin, while minimizing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and pigmentation irregularities using the exfoliating benefits of glycolic acid. HI-DRAT is its cellular renewal complex. It utilizes antioxidants to protect against free radical damage. HI-DRAT is suitable for all skin types and formulated to help smooth away fine lines and wrinkles while rejuvenating the overall skin�� health.

KE-REKT is its anti-aging eye repair cream. It contains Argan, which accelerates skin�� natural repair process and helps combat chronological aging and loss of firmness. AKTE-VAT is its activating mineral mist. This weightless mist has been formulated to purify the skin and stimulate enzymatic activity to help increase the fibroblast production of pre-collagen. The mist locks in moisture and supplies vital nutrients to help give the skin a younger appearance. Its nutraceutical under development is DE-TOX, a hand, skin and nail detoxification treatment designed to help defend the body against aging free radical damage.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Peter Graham]

    Small cap stocks Bonamour Inc (OTCBB: BONI), Firstin Wireless Technology Inc (OTCMKTS: FINW) and Microchannel Technologies Corp (OTCBB: MCTC) have been attracting attention from variosu investment newsletters lately with at least two of these stocks being the subject of paid promotions. Of course, there is nothing wrong with properly disclosed paid promotions or investor relation types of activities as its up to investors and traders alike to do their due diligence. So how hot are these small cap stocks? Here is a quick reality check that might cool your appetite:

Hot Consumer Stocks To Watch For 2014: SodaStream International Ltd.(SODA)

SodaStream International Ltd. engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of home beverage carbonation systems and related products. Its home beverage carbonation systems enable consumers to transform ordinary tap water into carbonated soft drinks and sparkling water. The company offers a range of soda makers; exchangeable carbon-dioxide (CO2) cylinders; beverage-grade CO2 refills; reusable carbonation bottles; and various flavors comprising fruit, carbonated soft drink, and enhanced flavors to add to the carbonated water. It also sells additional accessories for its products, including bottle cleaning materials and ice cube trays manufactured by third parties. The company sells its products under the SodaStream and Soda-Club brand names through approximately 50,000 retail stores in 42 countries, as well as through the Internet; and distributes its products directly in 12 countries and indirectly through local distributors in other markets. It operates in Europe , North and Central America, Israel, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and east Asia. The company was formerly known as Soda-Club Holdings Ltd. and changed its name to SodaStream International Ltd. in March 2010. SodaStream International Ltd. is headquartered in Airport City, Israel.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rick Munarriz]

    3. Get busy with the fizzy
    Is SodaStream (NASDAQ: SODA  ) really up for sale?

    The New York Post is reporting that SodaStream has been quietly trying to sell itself for at least three weeks, but sources say that any interest in acquiring the company behind the system that turns flat water into carbonated soda is starting to fizzle out.

  • [By Jayson Derrick]

    Analysts at Barclays upgraded SodaStream (NASDAQ: SODA) to Equal-Weight from Underweight with an unchanged $35 price target. Also, analysts at JPMorgan maintained a Neutral rating on SodaStream with a price target lowered to $40 from a previous $45. Shares gained 0.73 percent, closing at $33.00.

  • [By Rich Duprey]

    Which is probably part of the reason Coke feels the need to defend aspartame from attacks. Not that it's not working behind the scenes to try natural flavors as well. A new stevia-flavored drink is being tested in Argentina to see if it performs well enough to expand into other markets, while�SodaStream (NASDAQ: SODA  ) introduced a line of stevia-flavored drinks for its make-it-yourself soda machine�last year.

Hot Consumer Stocks To Watch For 2014: WhiteWave Foods Co (WWAV)

WWF Operating Company, incorporated on March 14, 1988, is a consumer packaged food and beverage company. The Company manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells plant-based foods and beverages, coffee creamers and beverages, and dairy products throughout North America and Europe. The Company operates in two segments: North America and Europe. The North America segment offers products in the plant-based foods and beverages, coffee creamers and beverages, and dairy product categories throughout North America. Europe segment offers plant-based food and beverage products throughout Europe. The Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dean Foods Company (Dean Foods).

The Company�� brands distributed in North America include Silk plant-based foods and beverages, International Delight and LAND O LAKES coffee creamers and beverages, and Horizon Organic dairy products, while its European brands of plant-based foods and beverages include Alpro and Provamel. The Company sell its products to a variety of customers, including grocery stores, mass merchandisers, club stores, and convenience stores, as well as various away-from-home channels, including restaurants and foodservice outlets, across North America and Europe. The Company sells its products in North America and Europe primarily through its direct sales force and independent brokers. The Company utilizes five manufacturing plants, two distribution centers, and three co-packers across the United States. Additionally, it has four plants across Europe in the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, and the Netherlands, each supported by an integrated supply chain.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rich Duprey]

    So this isn't a case like that of�WhiteWave Foods (NYSE: WWAV  ) , which tried to snooker consumers by calling the sugar in its milk the creatively contrived name "evaporated cane juice." Rather, this is a company saying sugar's sugar and telling consumers how much the drink contains -- as the FDA requires it to do -- but it is still facing financial loss regardless.

  • [By Motley Fool Staff]

    Need a reason to invest in stocks? How about the beginning of a new year. To help you find solid stock ideas we asked Fool.com contributors covering technology and consumer goods stocks to talk about top stocks for 2015. Read on to see what they had to say about Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM  ) , Facebook (NASDAQ: FB  ) , SeaWorld Entertainment (NYSE: SEAS  ) , WhiteWave Foods (NYSE: WWAV  ) , Google (NASDAQ: GOOG  ) (NASDAQ: GOOGL  ) , Taiwan Semiconductor (NYSE: TSM  ) , and Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) .

  • [By Chris Dieterich]

    In food, Morgan Stanley suggests that WhiteWave Foods (WWAV), which makes products such organic dairy and almond milks, might benefit from “consumers��ability to’��rade up’ out of conventional foods.” The same principle applies to Texas Roadhouse (TXRH).

Hot Consumer Stocks To Watch For 2014: G Willi-Food International Ltd (WILC)

G. Willi-Food International Ltd., incorporated in January 1994, is engaged, directly and through subsidiaries, in the development, import, export, manufacturing, marketing and distribution of a range of over 600 food products worldwide. The Company purchases food products from over 150 suppliers located in Israel and throughout the world, including from the Far East (China, India, the Philippines and Thailand), Ethiopia, Eastern Europe (Poland, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Latvia), South America (Ecuador and Costa Rica), the United States, Canada, Western and Central Europe (the Netherlands, Belgium, Monaco, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, and France) and Southern Europe (Spain, Portugal, Italy, Turkey, Greece). The Company's products are marketed and sold to approximately 1,500 customers in Israel and around the world including to supermarket chains, wholesalers and institutional consumers. The Company markets most of its products under the brand name Willi-Food. On January 1, 2012, the Company completed the sale of its entire 51% ownership interest in Shamir and closed its manufacturing segment.

As of December 31, 2012, the Company�� customers includes the Israeli supermarket chains in the organized market in Israel, which includes Shufersal Ltd. (including the chains: Shufersal Deal, Shufersal Deal Extra, Shufersal Sheli, Shufersal, Yesh, Shufersal Express and Katif); Mega Retail Ltd. (which also includes Mega, MegaBool, Mega in the City and Zol B'Shefa), and Co-Op Israel (which also includes Co-Op Jerusalem, Mister Zol and Pashut Zol). The Company contracts with the supermarket chains in the organized market through the buyers in the head office of the supermarket chain, and then the Company receives orders from the logistic center or directly from their stores. Merchandise is then delivered directly to each branch or to the supermarket�� chain distribution center. Its secondary major group of customers includes private supermarket chains, mini-markets, wholesalers, food manufac! turers, institutional consumers, such as catering halls, hotels, hospitals and food service companies and food producers, and customers in the Palestinian Authority.

.

The Company�� imports, markets and distributes a range of over 600 food products. These products are sold by the Company and by Gold Frost. The principal products in the import segment product line are Canned Vegetables and Pickles, including including mushrooms (whole and sliced), artichoke (hearts and bottoms), beans, asparagus, capers, corn kernels, baby corn, palm hearts, vine leaves (including vine leaves stuffed with rice), sour pickles, mixed pickled vegetables, pickled peppers, an assortment of black and green olives, garlic, roasted eggplant sun and dried tomatoes. These products are primarily imported from China, Greece, Thailand, Turkey, India, and The Netherlands; canned fish, including tuna (in oil or in water), sardines, anchovies, smoked and pressed cod liver, herring, fish paste and salmon. These products are primarily imported from the Philippines, Thailand, Greece, Germany and Sweden; Canned Fruit, including pineapple (sliced or pieces), peaches, apricot, pears, mangos, cherries, litchis and fruit cocktail. These products are primarily imported from China, the Philippines, Thailand, Greece and Europe.; Edible Oils, including olive oil, regular and enriched sunflower oil, soybean oil, corn oil and rapeseed oil. These products are primarily imported from Belgium, Argentina, Turkey, Italy, Holland and Spain; dairy and dairy substitute products, including hard and semi-hard cheeses (parmesan, edam, kashkaval, gouda, havarti, cheddar, pecorino, manchego, maasdam, rossiysky, iberico and emmental), molded cheeses (brie, camembert and danablu), feta, Bulgarian cheese, goat cheese, fetina, butter, yogurts, butter spreads, margarine, melted cheese, cheese alternatives, condensed milk, coffee whitener, pizzas, ice cream, whipped cream and others. These products are primarily imported from Greece, France, Latvia, Denma! rk, Bulga! ria, Italy, and The Netherlands.

Dried Fruit, Nuts and Beans, including figs, apricots, chestnuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts, pine nuts, cashew nuts, pistachio and peanuts. These products are primarily imported from Greece, Turkey, India, China, Thailand and the United States, and other products, including, among others, instant noodle soup, Manchu, breadstick coffee creamers, lemon juice, halva, Turkish delight, cookies, vinegar, sweet pastry and crackers, sauces, corn flour, rice, rice sticks, pasta, spaghetti and noodles, breakfast cereals, corn flakes, rusks, couscous, rusks, gnocchi, tortilla, dried apples snacks, chocolate bars and chocolate paste, tea, deserts (such as tiramisu and pastries), light and alcoholic beverages (such as ouzo, sangria and mohito) and more. These products are primarily imported from The Netherlands, Germany, Romania, Italy, Greece, Belgium, the United States, Scandinavia, Switzerland, China, Thailand, Turkey, India, and South America.

The Company competes with Shemen, Taaman, Solbar, Fodor (Starkist and Yona), Posidon, Williger, Filtuna, Vita Pri HaGalil, Shastowits, Yachin-Zan laKol, Williger, Alaska, Johnson, Osem, Barila, Tomer, Tnuva, Tara, Strauss, Seyman, Gad Dairy, and Meshek Zuriel.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By GURUFOCUS]

    Fair Value: In calculating fair value, I consider the NPV MMA Differential Fair Value along with these four calculations of fair value, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:

    1. Avg. High Yield Price
    2. 20-Year DCF Price
    3. Avg. P/E Price
    4. Graham Number

    SYY is trading at a premium to all four valuations above. The stock is trading at a 37.5% premium to its calculated fair value of $26.26. SYY did not earn any Stars in this section.

    Dividend Analytical Data: In this section there are three possible Stars and three key metrics, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:

    1. Free Cash Flow Payout
    2. Debt To Total Capital
    3. Key Metrics
    4. Dividend Growth Rate
    5. Years of Div. Growth
    6. Rolling 4-yr Div. > 15%

    SYY earned two Stars in this section for 2.) and 3.) above. The stock earned a Star as a result of its most recent Debt to Total Capital being less than 45%. SYY earned a Star for having an acceptable score in at least two of the four Key Metrics measured. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1970 and has increased its dividend payments for 43 consecutive years.

    Dividend Income vs. MMA: Why would you assume the equity risk and invest in a dividend stock if you could earn a better return in a much less risky money market account (MMA) or Treasury bond? This section compares the earning ability of this stock with a high yield MMA. Two items are considered in this section, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:

    1. NPV MMA Diff.
    2. Years to > MMA

    The NPV MMA Diff. of the $282 is below the $500 target I look for in a stock that has increased dividends as long as SYY has. If SYY grows its dividend at 3.6% per year, it will take 3 years to equal a MMA yielding an estimated 20-year average rate of 3.41%. SYY earned a check for the Key Metric 'Years to >MMA' since its 3 years is le

  • [By Peter Graham]

    The Q4 2014 earnings report for Dubai headquartered specialty Basmati rice stock Amira Nature Foods Ltd (NYSE: ANFI), a potential performance peer of other specialty food stocks like The Chefs Warehouse, Inc (NASDAQ: CHEF) and Israel based G Willi-Food International Ltd (NASDAQ: WILC), is due out before the market opens on Tuesday. Aside from the Amira Nature Foods Ltd earnings report, it should be said that The Chefs Warehouse, Inc reported Q1 2014 on May1st (results were negatively impacted by the severe weather that affected many of our core markets) while G Willi-Food International Ltd reported Q1 2014 earnings on May 28th (results were�affected by a decline of consumption by Israeli customers). However, Amira Nature Foods Ltd shares fell as much as 22% after reporting third-quarter earnings back in February plus the stock is the sixth most shorted stock on the NYSE with short interest of 45.30%�according to HighShortInterest.com.

Hot Consumer Stocks To Watch For 2014: Pepsico Inc.(PEP)

PepsiCo, Inc. engages in the manufacture, marketing, and sale of foods, snacks, and carbonated and non-carbonated beverages worldwide. The company operates in four divisions: PepsiCo Americas Foods (PAF); PepsiCo Americas Beverages (PAB); PepsiCo Europe; and PepsiCo Asia, Middle East, and Africa (AMEA). The PAF division offers Lay?s and Ruffles potato chips, Doritos and Tostitos tortilla chips and dips, Cheetos cheese flavored snacks, Fritos corn chips, Quaker Chewy granola bars, and SunChips multigrain snacks in North America; Quaker oatmeal, Aunt Jemima mixes and syrups, Cap?n Crunch cereal, Quaker grits, and Life cereal, as well as Rice-A-Roni, Pasta Roni, and Near East side dishes in North America; and various snack foods under Doritos, Marias Gamesa, Cheetos, Ruffles, Emperador, Saladitas, Sabritas, and Lay?s brands in Latin America. The PAB division provides carbonated soft drinks, beverage concentrates, fountain syrups, and finished goods under Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, 7UP, Tropicana Pure Premium, Electropura, Sierra Mist, Epura, and Mirinda brands; ready-to-drink tea, coffee, and water products through joint ventures with Unilever and Starbucks; and sells concentrate to authorized bottlers, and branded finished goods directly to independent distributors and retailers. This division also manufactures third-party brands, such as Dr Pepper, Crush, Rock Star, and Muscle Milk. The PepsiCo Europe division offers Frito Lay Snacks, Pepsi-Cola beverages, Gatorade sports drinks, Tropicana juices, and Quaker foods in Europe. The AMEA division provides snack food under the Lay?s, Kurkure, Chipsy, Doritos, Smith?s, Cheetos, Red Rock Deli, and Ruffles brands; Quaker-brand cereals and snacks; and beverage concentrates, fountain syrups, and finished goods under the Pepsi, Mirinda, 7UP, and Mountain Dew brands. PepsiCo, Inc. was founded in 1898 and is headquartered in Purchase, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Muhammad Bazil]

    Recently, concerns of investors have continued to mount over the future of Coca-Cola (KO) and other soda makers like PepsiCo (PEP) in the wake of increased obesity epidemic in the U.S., Mexico and many other developed countries across the globe that usually contribute a huge part of Coca-Cola's yearly revenue. Really, it isn't without some good reasons that Coca-Cola has been the favorite of many discerning investors over many decades, like Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) with a 400 million share stake in Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola has established itself as a strong financial performer in all major indices. The stock has consistently earned huge revenues and maintained solid earnings per share for several decades. Some other benefits that have caused many individual and institutional investors to love Coca-Cola's stock include consistent growth in dividend increases, good free cash flow and its solid share buyback policy.

Hot Consumer Stocks To Watch For 2014: Alliance One International Inc (AOI)

Alliance One International, Inc., incorporated on October 19, 1994, is a leaf tobacco merchant. The Company is engaged in purchasing, processing, packing, storing and shipping tobacco to manufacturers of cigarettes and other consumer tobacco products globally. The Company deals primarily in flue-cured, burley, and oriental tobaccos that is used in international brand cigarettes. The Company�� revenues are primarily comprised of sales of processed tobacco and fees charged for processing and related services to these manufacturers of tobacco products. The Company does not manufacture cigarettes or other consumer tobacco products.

Tobacco is primarily purchased directly from suppliers with small quantities still sold at auction. In non-auction markets, the Company purchases tobacco directly from suppliers and the Company assumes the risk of matching the quantities and grades required by its customers to the entire crop it must purchase under contract. The Company purchases tobacco in more than 35 countries. During the year ended March 31, 2013 (fiscal 2013), approximately 30% of the Company�� purchases of tobacco were from the South America operating segment, approximately 5% were from the Value Added Services operating segment and approximately 65% from the Other Regions operating segment.

The Company processes tobacco to meet each customer's specifications as to quality, yield, chemistry, particle size, moisture content and other characteristics. Unprocessed tobacco is a semi-perishable commodity that generally must be processed within a relatively short period of time to prevent fermentation or deterioration in quality. The Company processes tobacco in more than 35 owned and third-party facilities around the world including Argentina, Brazil, China, Zimbabwe, Jordan, Guatemala, India, Tanzania, the United States, Malawi, Thailand, Germany, Indonesia, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Turkey. These facilities encompass all export locations of flue-cured, burley and oriental tobaccos! . In addition, the Company has entered into contracts, joint ventures and other arrangements for the purchase of tobacco grown in substantially all other countries that produce export-quality flue-cured and burley tobacco. The Company also sells a small amount of processed but unthreshed flue-cured and burley tobacco in loose-leaf and bundle form to certain customers. In 2013, Alliance One delivered approximately 41% of its tobacco sales to customers in Europe and approximately 19% to customers in the United States. In 2013, these Belgium sales accounted for 20% of sales to customers in Europe. The Company ships tobacco to manufacturers of cigarettes and other consumer tobacco products located in approximately 90 countries around the world as designated by these manufacturers.

The Company competes with Japan Tobacco, Inc. (JTI), Philip Morris International, Inc. (PMI), and Imperial Tobacco Group PLC.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Emerson]

    Camtek was an automated optical inspection (AOI) company that designed and manufactured inspection systems for printed circuit boards (PCB). Further, they were in the process of designing systems to inspect semiconductors as well. The logic for investing in AOI companies was simple: Many circuit boards still employed visual inspection and circuits were getting smaller every year.

  • [By Sally Jones] ng>Predictability: 1 out of 5 Stars

    Down 12% over 12 months, Alliance One International Inc. has a market cap of $251.53 million; its shares were traded at around $2.86, which is 2.4% above its 52-week low. The P/E ratio is 65.10, and the P/B ratio is 0.80.

    Alliance One is a tobacco leaf supplier serving the world's largest cigarette manufacturers. The company purchases, processes, packs, stores and ships tobacco to manufacturers of cigarettes and other consumer tobacco products throughout the world. Alliance One deals mainly in tobacco types used in international brand cigarettes. As a tobacco leaf merchant, Alliance One purchases tobacco grown in over 45 countries and serves cigarette manufacturers in over 90 countries.

    The company reported financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2013, with a net loss of $36.9 million, down further from a net loss in the same quarter last year of 30.7 million. The net loss translates to $(0.42) per basic share for the reporting quarter.

    Historical share pricing, revenue and net income:

    [ Enlarge Image ]

    Guru Action: As of June 30, 2013, Seth Klarman holds 7,669,969 shares, valued at $29.14 million, and weighting his portfolio at 0.72%. In the second quarter, he sold 461,625 shares at an average price of $3.74 for a loss of 23.5%.

    In six quarters of double-digit losses, Klarman has averaged a loss of 31% on 5,800,000 shares bought at an average price of $4.17 per share. He has averaged a loss of 38% on 1,798,473 shares sold at an average price of $4.59 per share.

    Seth Klarman is one of six gurus holding AOI as of June 30, 2013, and there is recent insider trading.

    Kinross Gold Corporation (KGC)

    Predictability: 1 out of 5 Stars

    Down 54% over 12 months, Kinross Gold Corporation has a market cap of $5.32 billion; its shares were traded at around $4.66, 2.8% above its 52-week low. The P/B ratio is 0.80. The dividend yield is 3.44%.

    Kinross Gold Corporati

  • [By John Emerson]

    As noted previously, I rode the elevator up and then back down on Camtek (CAMT), a tiny Israeli automated optical inspection (AOI) company. By late 2008 the company had fallen to below $1 per share. Both of Camtek�� larger rivals, RTEC and ORBK, had dropped to absurdly low levels by November 2008. I used the opportunity to switch out of CAMT and some of my other losing propositions in favor of these superior companies. In the process, I created a large amount of tax loss carry-forwards which would allow me to minimize my future taxation when I decided to sell these cyclical entities.

  • [By Bryan Murphy]

    It may seem trite (and a little dated) on the surface, but Warren Buffett's sage advice stands as tall today as it did the first time her ever said it.... "Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful." And, to say investors have been fearful of oil names like Kosmos Energy Ltd (NYSE:KOS), Africa Oil Corp. (CVE:AOI), and Hydrocarb Energy Corp. (OTCBB:HECC) of late would be an understatement. Not only have all three been pressured against a backdrop of plunging oil prices, HECC, KOS, and AOI have been doubly pressured because a big piece of what they do within their oil exploration exploits is done in Africa, where oil's recent volatility has been particularly disruptive. As Buffett� has accurately explained so many times in the past though, trends have a funny way of ending right around the time most investors are certain they'll never end.

Weekend Edition – Social Security’s Predictably Small Increase

In a piece of news pertinent to retirees and near-retirees this past week, the Social Security Administration announced its latest cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increase for 2014.

Another Small Adjustment
The benefits increase was predictably small at just 1.5%. This change implies that the cost of consumer goods–as measured by official government data–only rose 1.5% this year. A quick look at the recent history of COLA changes illustrates why we expected a very small increase:

Year COLA
2009 +0.0%
2010 +0.0%
2011 +3.6%
2012 +1.7%
2013 +1.5%

10 Best Supermarket Stocks For 2015

As you can see, the U.S. government has been very stingy with its adjustments as of late. I won’t get into how the inflation numbers are being massaged using so-called “chained CPI,” or how the government has a vested interest in keeping benefits low. What I will point out is a startling statistic published by the AARP recently:

“One-third (33.9 percent) of all [Social Security] beneficiaries—and nearly four in ten (38 percent) women beneficiaries–age 80 and older–rely on Social Security for nearly all of their family income (90 percent or more). That compares to only 19 percent of beneficiaries age 65 to 69.”

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Morning Briefing: 10 Things You Should Know

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Here are 10 things you should know for Thursday, Sept. 19:

1. -- U.S. stock futures were rising and global stock markets surged Thursday after the Federal Reserve said it wouldn't reduce its massive economic stimulus.

European stocks were higher early Thursday. Asian shares ended the session with gains. Japan's Nikkei 225 index rose 1.8% to close at 14,766.18.

2. -- The economic calendar in the U.S. Thursday includes weekly initial jobless claims at 8:30 a.m. EDT, existing home sales for August at 10 a.m., the Philly Fed survey for September at 10 a.m. and leading indicators for August at 10 a.m. 3. -- U.S. stocks on Wednesday posted sharp gains following the Fed's statement that the U.S. economy wasn't ready for a tapering of the central bank's unprecedented efforts at maintaining lenient monetary policies. The Fed said that it will continue to buy $85 billion in bonds per month until there's stronger evidence of economic improvement. The S&P 500 gained 1.22% to reach a new all-time high of 1,725.52 and booked a fourth straight day of gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.95% to close at 15,676.94. The Nasdaq gained 1.01% to finish at 3,783.64. 4. -- Regulators in the U.S. and U.K. are expected to fine JPMorgan Chase (JPM) more than $900 million for actions tied to its 2012 "London Whale" trading debacle, according to a person familiar with the settlement talks, The Wall Street Journal reported. The Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve and the U.K.'s Financial Conduct Authority are expected to charge the bank with poor controls surrounding the giant bet, which cost JPMorgan more than $6 billion, the Journal said. The announcement of the settlements is expected to come early Thursday, according to people briefed on the plans. 5. -- Software maker Oracle (ORCL) said fiscal first-quarter net income rose by 8%. Adjusted earnings for the quarter of 59 cents a share topped Wall Street estimates of 56 cents. Revenue rose 2% to $8.37 billion; analysts were looking for revenue of $8.48 billion. Software revenue rose 6% to $6.08 billion and included a 5% increase in new software licenses and cloud software subscriptions to $1.65 billion. 6. -- McDonald's (MCD), the world's largest hamburger chain, raised its quarterly dividend by 5% to 81 cents a share from 77 cents. The fourth-quarter payout will be more than $800 million. The next dividend is payable Dec. 16 to shareholders of record at Dec. 2. Shares of McDonald's rose 78 cents on Wednesday to $98.70. 7. -- Wells Fargo (WFC) is cutting about 1,800 more jobs in its home-loan production business, according to Bloomberg. The reductions are in addition to 3,000 earlier this quarter, said Tom Goyda, a spokesman for the San Francisco-based bank, in an interview with Bloomberg on Wednesday. Wells Fargo is cutting jobs as higher borrowing costs slow refinancings and new home purchases fail to compensate for the decline, Bloomberg noted.

Top 10 Chemical Stocks To Invest In Right Now

8. -- Chrysler Group is late in the stages of preparing documents for an initial public offering, a person familiar with the offer told CNBC, and JPMorgan Chase is expected to underwrite the IPO.

9. -- ConAgra Foods (CAG), the packaged food giant, is expected by Wall Street on Thursday to report fiscal first-quarter earnings of 39 cents a share on revenue of $4.29 billion. 10. -- Drugstore chain Rite Aid (RAD) is expected to post a fiscal second-quarter loss Thursday of 4 cents a share. -- Written by Joseph Woelfel >To contact the writer of this article, click here: Joseph Woelfel >To submit a news tip, send an email to: tips@thestreet.com.

Copyright 2013 TheStreet.com Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.

Saturday, January 24, 2015

War Trumps Economic Data: Dow Falls 125 Points, S&P Drops 1%; Hi-Tech Pharmacal Gains 20% on Akorn Buyout

Yesterday, the market rose early despite bad news. Today, stocks are ignoring the good news as they selloff in response to a potential U.S. attack on Syria.

Reuters

The Dow Jones Industrials have dropped 126 points, or 0.8%, to 14,805 today, while the S&P 500 has fallen 1.2% to 1,636.70. The Nasdaq Composite is off 1.7% to 3596.70.

It’s not as if there hasn’t been good news. The Richmond Fed Index, for instance, rose to 14, from minus 11 last month and well above forecasts.  Consumer confidence, meanwhile, rose to 81.5 in August, above forecasts for a drop to 79.1.

But no. It’s all about the potential for airstrikes in Syria. Reuters is reporting that an attack might be imminent:

Western powers could attack Syria within days, envoys from the United States and its allies have told rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad, sources who attended the meeting told Reuters on Tuesday.

U.S. forces in the region are “ready to go”, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said, as Washington and its European and Middle Eastern partners honed plans to punish Assad for a major poison gas attack last week that killed hundreds of civilians.

Investors, however, can take comfort from the fact that markets have, on average, risen following the beginning of conflicts, according to Ned Davis Research. Some 126 days after the statr of Desert Storm, for instance, the Dow Jones Industrials gained 18.7%.

Boston Scientific (BSX) has dropped 4.2% to $10.81, making it the second-biggest loser in the S&P 500, while Zions Bancorp (ZION) has fallen 4.1% to $28.03.

Still, some stocks are bucking the trend. Goodyear Tire & Rubber (GT) has gained 1.4% to $18.90, the largest gainer in the S&P 500, after reaching a deal with a union. The real winners: Hi-Tech Pharmacal (HITK) has gained 22.3% to $43.05 after agreeing to be purchased by Akorn (AKRX), which has jumped 9.6% to $18.02.

Best Construction Companies To Buy Right Now

With shares of Boeing (NYSE:BA) trading around $132, is BA an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE, or STAY AWAY? Let�� analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

T = Trends for a Stock’s Movement

Boeing is an aerospace company. It focuses primarily on engineering, information technology, research and development, test and evaluation, technology strategy development, environmental remediation management, and intellectual property management. The company operates in five segments: Commercial Airplanes, Boeing Military Aircraft, Network & Space Systems, Global Services & Support, and Boeing Capital Corp.

The ongoing conflict between Boeing and union machinists in Washington state over the construction of the planemaker�� new 777X jets appeared to reach a breaking point last week when Boeing announced it was soliciting bids from over a dozen locations. But, a recent mistake in a full-page ad by the Washington Aerospace Partnership aimed at keeping Boeing in the state has raised some interesting questions, even if it was a ��ringe-worthy error,��as a spokesperson for the group admitted.�The error in question revolved around a full-page ad that mistakenly superimposed a photo of a European-made Airbus A319 with the text ��he Future of Washington.��A hugely ironic oversight by the group members, the mistake has had the unintended consequence of imagining what a future without Boeing might consist of — and more importantly, imagining a future with Boeing rival Airbus.

Top 5 Small Cap Companies To Buy Right Now: Texas Industries Inc (TXI)

Texas Industries, Inc., incorporated on April 19, 1951, is a supplier of construction materials in the southwestern United States. The Company operates in three segments: cement, aggregates and consumer products. Its cement segment produces gray portland cement and specialty cements. The Company�� cement production and distribution facilities are concentrated primarily in Texas and California. Its aggregates segment produces natural aggregates, including sand, gravel and crushed limestone. The Company�� consumer products segment produces ready-mix concrete. It is also a supplier of natural aggregates and ready-mix concrete in Texas and northern Louisiana and in Oklahoma and Arkansas. As of May 31, 2013, the Company had 123 manufacturing facilities in five states.

Cement Segment

The Company produces specialty cements, such as masonry and oil well cements. Its cement production facilities are located at Midlothian, Texas, south of Dallas/Fort Worth, Hunter, Texas, between Austin and San Antonio, and Oro Grande, California, near Los Angeles. It also operates a cement terminal and packaging facility at its Crestmore plant near Riverside, California, and the Company operates its gray portland cement grinding facility on an as needed basis. During the fiscal year ended May 31, 2013 (fiscal 2013), it produced approximately 4.3 million tons of finished cement. The Company shipped approximately 4.4 million tons during fiscal 2013, of which 3.8 million tons were shipped to outside trade customers.

Aggregates Segment

The Company�� operations are conducted from facilities primarily serving the Dallas/Fort Worth and Austin areas in Texas; the southern Oklahoma area, and the Alexandria and Monroe areas in Louisiana. The Company produced approximately 14.2 million tons of natural aggregates during fiscal 2013. It shipped approximately 14.8 million tons of natural aggregates during fiscal 2013, of which 11.3 million tons were shipped to outside trade customers! . The Company shipped approximately 1.0 million cubic yards of lightweight aggregates during fiscal 2013, of which approximately 0.9 million cubic yards were shipped to outside trade customers.

Consumer Products Segment

The Company�� ready-mix concrete operations are situated in three areas in Texas (the Dallas/Fort Worth/Denton area of north Texas, the Austin area of central Texas and from Beaumont to Texarkana in east Texas), in north and central Louisiana, and in southwestern Arkansas. It is also a 40% partner in a joint venture that has ready mix concrete operations in the northern part of central Texas area centered around Waco, Texas. It shipped approximately 2.8 million cubic yards of ready-mix concrete during fiscal 2013. The Company manufacture and supply a substantial amount of the cement and aggregates raw materials used by our ready-mix plants. The Company also marketed its Maximizer packaged concrete mixes in southern California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ben Fox Rubin]

    Building materials company Texas Industries Inc.(TXI) is considering a sale, Bloomberg News reported, citing three people familiar with knowledge of the matter. Shares of the company jumped 12% premarket to $65.50.

  • [By Monica Gerson]

    Texas Industries (NYSE: TXI) is expected to post its Q1 earnings at $0.01 per share on revenue of $233.63 million.

    National American University Holdings (NASDAQ: NAUH) is projected to post a Q1 loss at $0.01 per share on revenue of $30.58 million.

Best Construction Companies To Buy Right Now: Oci NV (OCI)

Oci NV is a Netherlands-based company, which divides its activities into two groups. The first group is engaged in the design, construction and maintenance of industrial and commercial infrastructures and buildings, such as roads, ports, railroads, hospitals, stadiums and water treatment units. The second group is engaged in the production of fertilizers, such as anhydrous ammonia, granulated urea, calcium ammonium nitrate and urea ammonium nitrate, among others. The Company is a subsidiary of Orascom Construction Industries SAE, an international fertilizer producer and construction contractor based in Cairo, Egypt. In September 2013, it announced spin-off of its subsidiary OCI Partners LP. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ahmed A. Namatalla]

    OCI attracted $2 billion in commitments from a group of investors including Cascade Investment LLC, Gates�� personal investments vehicle, to help finance the move to Amsterdam, which it said would lower borrowing costs and boost its global profile. Yesterday�� settlement prompted Cairo-based investment bank Pharos Holding to raise Orascom to buy from hold, saying the construction and fertilizer company would proceed with an offer to investors to buy its Cairo-listed shares or swap them with OCI NV (OCI) stock.

Best Construction Companies To Buy Right Now: Badger Daylighting Ltd (BAD)

Badger Daylighting Ltd. and its subsidiaries (Badger) provide non-destructive excavating services to the utility, transportation, industrial, engineering, construction and petroleum industries in Canada and the United States. Its key technology is the Badger Hydrovac excavator, which is used primarily for digging trenches in congested grounds. The Company�� excavation services include daylighting and potholing, slot trenching, debris removal and cleanups, maintenance and installation service pits, poles and piling holes and trench shoring/shoring. Badger slot trenching provides a non-destructive method of digging trenches for water lines, wiring and pipeline installations or excavations. Its applications include pipeline tie-ins, investigative slot trenching, installation slot trenching, drain tile trenching and line fault repairs. In November 2013, the Company acquired the business and operating assets of Fieldtek Holdings Ltd. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Kim Hjelmgaard]

    There have been some good (read: bad) predictions over the years.

    Before the 2013 forum, DealBook's Andrew Ross Sorkin recalled that in 2003 the serial Davos attendee, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, said of Google: "These Google guys (co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin), they want to be billionaires and rock stars and go to conferences and all that. Let us see if they still want to run the business in two to three years."

Best Construction Companies To Buy Right Now: Fluor Corporation(FLR)

Fluor Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides engineering, procurement, construction, maintenance, and project management services worldwide. Its Oil & Gas segment offers design, engineering, procurement, construction, and project management services to upstream oil and gas production, downstream refining, chemicals, and petrochemicals industries. This segment also provides consulting services comprising feasibility studies, process assessment, and project finance structuring and studies. The company?s Industrial & Infrastructure segment offers design, engineering, procurement, and construction services to the transportation, wind power, mining and metals, life sciences, manufacturing, commercial and institutional, telecommunications, microelectronics, and healthcare sectors. Its Government segment provides engineering, construction, logistics support, contingency response, management, and operations services to the United States government focusing on the Departme nt of Energy, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Defense. The company?s Global Services segment offers operations and maintenance, small capital project engineering and execution, site equipment and tool services, industrial fleet services, plant turnaround services, temporary staffing services, and supply chain solutions. Its Power segment provides engineering, procurement, construction, program management, start-up and commissioning, and operations and maintenance services to the gas fueled, solid fueled, plant betterment, renewables, nuclear, and power services markets. The company also offers unionized management and construction services in the United States and Canada. Fluor Corporation was founded in 1912 and is headquartered in Irving, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Louis Navellier]

    If we look at the sector using Portfolio Grader, we see that many of the big names in the group like Flour (FLR), Granite Construction (GVA) and KBR incorporated (KBR) are rated ��ell.��The anticipated spending for both government and private industry simply hasn�� materialized, and the companies are not seeing revenue or profit growth.

Thursday, January 22, 2015

10 Best India Stocks To Own Right Now

Our human mind easily gets attracted to the information that gets popular among the crowd. The same happens with the way we raise our children. If the neighbour sends his child to a music class, without even thinking about the child�� interest or talent, most of the parents copycat.

Herd mentality is natural for a human being. What happens when we do the same while taking important investment decisions?

How herd mentality impacts in financial decision making?

Remember finance companies in India during 1990s who offered a huge interest on investments. Finally, these companies made people to become homeless. Strict measures were taken and people started being careful while investing. But again, people have fallen victim in the 2010-11 to finance schemes like Emu farms, etc.

Why do such catastrophic situations happen again and again?

The reason here is the herd mentality of people who just want to follow the crowd. Even while investing, people just follow what the majority is doing.

Top 10 Consumer Service Stocks For 2015: Stewart Information Services Corporation(STC)

Stewart Information Services Corporation provides title insurance and related information services required for settlement by the real estate and mortgage industries. It operates in two segments, Title Insurance-Related Services and Real Estate Information. The Title Insurance-Related Services segment offers services that include searching for and examining documents, such as deeds, mortgages, wills, divorce decrees, court judgments, liens, paving assessments, and tax records, as well as provides titles insurance for residential and commercial properties, undeveloped acreage, farms, ranches, and water rights. This segment serves attorneys, builders, developers, home buyers and home sellers, lenders, and real estate brokers. The Real Estate Information segment offers products and services, which primarily include lender services, title technology, foreign and domestic government services, mapping, title information, Internal Revenue Code Section 1031 tax-deferred property e xchanges, pre-employment services, and online filing and transaction management. Its customers include mortgage lenders and servicers, mortgage brokers, mortgage investors, government entities, commercial and residential real estate agents, land developers, builders, title insurance agencies, and others interested in obtaining property information, as well as accountants, attorneys, investors, and employers. The company has operations primarily in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, central Europe, Mexico, central America, and Australia. Stewart Information Services Corporation was founded in 1893 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By James Fink]

    My housing pick is Houston-based Stewart Information Services (STC), a 120-year-old real estate business founded in 1893, that is still owned and managed by the founding family.

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Tower Group has dropped 12% to $3.88 today at 11:39 a.m., while Stewart Information Services (STC) has dipped 0.1% to $31.16, the�Navigators Group�(NAVG) has fallen 1.4% to $54.78 and HCI Group�(HCI) has gained 1% to $38.16.

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Tower Group has dropped 40% to $4.43 today, and some other small insurers are also getting dinged this morning. HCI Group (HCI) has fallen 1.8% to $39.36, Stewart Information Services (STC) has declined 0.7% to $31.36 and the Navigators Group (NAVG) has ticked down 0.4% to $56.10.

10 Best India Stocks To Own Right Now: Infosys Technologies Limited(INFY)

Infosys Ltd. provides information technology (IT) and consulting services worldwide. It offers IT services, such as application, architecture, independent validation and testing, information management, infrastructure, packaged application, SOA, systems integration, and knowledge services; product engineering services, manufacturing process and plant solutions, and product lifecycle management services; and consulting services in the areas of information and technology strategies, product innovation, next generation commerce, process excellence, and learning and complex change. The company also provides business process outsourcing solutions in the areas of business platforms, customer service outsourcing, finance and accounting, human resources outsourcing, legal services, sales and fulfillment, and sourcing and procurement outsourcing. In addition, it offers collaborative analytics solutions; digital consumer platform; Finacle universal banking solution; iProwe, a Web ac cessibility assessment product; mConnect, a real-time enterprise middleware; and research and analytical support services. Further, the company offers unified communications and collaboration solution that streamlines business processes between employees, customers, and suppliers; iTransform that helps healthcare organizations accelerate transition to new platforms; and supply chain visibility and collaboration product suite. It serves aerospace and defense, airlines, automotive, banking, capital markets, communication services, consumer packaged goods, manufacturing, education, energy, healthcare, high technology, hospitality and leisure, insurance, life sciences, logistics and distribution, publishing, resources, utilities, and retail industries. Infosys Ltd. has a strategic partnership with Alstom SA. The company was formerly known as Infosys Technologies Limited and changed its name to Infosys Ltd. on June 16, 2011. Infosys Ltd. was founded in 1981 and is headquartered i n Bengaluru, India.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Robert Martin]

    Infosys (INFY), Housing Development Finance and Reliance Industries LTD are the top three holdings, with weightings between 8% and 10.5%. Of course, just about any India ETF will have a heavy� allocation to Infosys and Reliance. However, INDA dedicates a lower percentage to energy than some of the alternatives, and instead leans more on IT and consumer spending.

  • [By Laura Brodbeck]

    Next week investors will be waiting for several key earnings reports including Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC), Alcoa (NYSE: AA), Family Dollar Stores (NYSE: FDO) and Infosys Limited (NASDAQ: INFY).

  • [By Aaron Smith]

    The government accused software developer Infosys (INFY) of using workers with B-1 visas, which only allow temporary entry into the U.S. for business purposes, to perform skilled labor jobs.

  • [By Tim Brugger]

    Longtime Infosys (NYSE: INFY  ) CEO N.R. Narayana Murthy has returned to the company he founded in 1981 as its new executive chairman of the board, Infosys recently announced. The Infosys board approved the appointment, and his new role will now be "placed for the consideration of the company's shareholders" at the annual general meeting scheduled for June 15, according to the release.

10 Best India Stocks To Own Right Now: Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd(RDY)

Dr. Reddy?s Laboratories Limited, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a pharmaceutical company. It produces finished dosage forms, active pharmaceutical ingredients and intermediates, and biotechnology products. The company also conducts research in the areas of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, inflammation, and bacterial infection. In addition, it involves in the contract manufacture generic prescription and over-the-counter products for branded and generic companies in the United States. The company primarily focuses on therapeutic categories of cardiovascular, diabetes management, gastro-intestinal, and pain management. It markets its products in India, the United States, Europe, and the Russian Federation. The company has a co-development and commercialization agreement with Rheoscience A/S for the development and commercialization of Balaglitazone/DRF 2593, a partial PPAR-gamma agonist for the treatment of type 2 diabetes; an agreement with ClinTec Internatio nal for the development of an anti-cancer compound, DRF 1042; collaboration with the National Cancer Institute in Maryland; and an agreement with Argenta Discovery Limited for the joint development and commercialization of a novel approach to the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It also has an agreement with 7TM Pharma for drug discovery collaboration on selected drug targets; and an agreement with GlaxoSmithKline plc to develop and market pharmaceuticals for the treatment of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, oncology, gastroenterology, and pain management. Dr. Reddy?s Laboratories Limited was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Hyderabad, India.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (NYSE: RDY  ) reported earnings on May 14. Here are the numbers you need to know.

    The 10-second takeaway
    For the quarter ended March 31 (Q4), Dr. Reddy's Laboratories beat expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

  • [By Benjamin Shepherd] We’re now into day 15 of the US government shutdown, as House Republicans stubbornly try to defund Obamacare. No matter what sort of deal is eventually struck, health care costs aren’t likely to come down any time soon. And that’s good news for generic drug makers.

    Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (NYSE: RDY) is one of the biggest players in generic drugs, offering more than 200 off-brand medications in the areas of cardiovascular disease, pain management and oncology, among others. In fact, this India-based company has become one of the largest makers of generics in the world, helping to drive more than 20 percent annual compounded earnings growth at the company over the past decade.
  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Teva has dropped 7.7% to $37.85 today at 3:23 p.m. but doesn’t seem to be spreading though the generic drug space. Taro Pharmaceuticals (TARO) ha gained 1.1% to $79, while Actavis (ACT) has gained 1.2% to $156.25 and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (RDY) has advanced 1% to $40.24. Mylan (MYL) has dropped 0.7% to $38.40.

10 Best India Stocks To Own Right Now: Tata Motors Ltd(TTM)

Tata Motors Limited, an automobile company, engages in the manufacture and sale of commercial and passenger vehicles primarily in India. The company offers cars, utility vehicles, trucks, buses and coaches, and defense vehicles, as well as develops electric and hybrid vehicles for personal and public transportation. It also involves in distributing and marketing cars; and financing the vehicles sold by the company. In addition, the company engages in the provision of engineering and automotive solutions, as well as machine tools and factory automation solutions; construction equipment manufacturing; automotive vehicle components manufacturing and supply chain activities; tooling and plastic and electronic components for automotive and computer applications; and automotive retailing and service operations. It offers its products and services through its dealership, sales, services, and spare parts network. The company also markets its commercial and passenger vehicles in Eu rope, Africa, the Middle East, South East Asia, South Asia, and South America. The company was formerly known as Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company Limited and changed its name to Tata Motors Limited in July 2003. Tata Motors Limited was founded in 1945 and is based in Mumbai, India.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Trey Thoelcke]

    The rise of VW could hit GM particularly hard, both in terms of reputation and in earnings. GM said it was looking to introduce four new Chevrolet models in China next year, as well as to expand its low-cost Baojun brand. Chinese buyers could already be looking elsewhere though, given the rise of VW and of Tata Motors Ltd. (NYSE: TTM), which sells cars under the Jaguar and Range Rover brands. Sales of Tata vehicles have risen sharply in the past year, and the company is set to begin producing cars in China.

10 Best India Stocks To Own Right Now: Sify Technologies Limited(SIFY)

Sify Technologies Limited provides enterprise and consumer Internet services primarily in India. The company offers various corporate network/data services comprising e-commerce and network connectivity solutions, such as end-to-end services network, application, and security services; voice origination and termination services; co-location and managed hosting services; and system integration services for data centre build, hardware distribution, security solutions, and turnkey projects. It also provides application services, including SLEMS and Microsoft Exchange messaging platforms; I-test for online assessment and LiveWire, which enable management of training processes across the organization; document management system for the management of documents electronically; and Forum, a forward supply chain solution. In addition, the company operates e-Ports that offer browsing, chat, email, gaming, utility bill payment, travel ticketing, hotel booking, mobile recharge, Intern et telephony, and online share trading services; and portals, which provide news, views, reviews, interactions, and services in the areas of movies, sports, finance, food, videos, astrology, online games, shopping, and travel, as well as offers content offerings and broadband services. Further, it provides infrastructure management services, such as network management, datacenter and helpdesk outsourcing, desktop and storage outsourcing, IT security outsourcing, LAN and WAN outsourcing, database and telecom outsourcing, and application monitoring and management services to automotive, chemical, media, and financial enterprises; and virtualization design, integration, and deployment services for servers, storage, networks, and end user clients. Sify has approximately 1,278 e-Ports in 200 towns and cities; and serves 1,06,000 broadband subscribers through 1500 cable TV Operators. The company, formerly known as Sify Limited, was founded in 1995 and is based in Chennai, India. Advisors' Opinion:

  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Leading and Lagging Sectors
    Technology stocks gained Tuesday, with Ku6 Media Co (NASDAQ: KUTV) leading advancers. Among leading tech stocks, gains came from Rubicon Technology (NASDAQ: RBCN), Bitauto Holdings (NYSE: BITA) and Sify Technologies (NASDAQ: SIFY).

  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Leading and Lagging Sectors
    Technology stocks gained Tuesday, with Ku6 Media Co (NASDAQ: KUTV) leading advancers. Among leading tech stocks, gains came from Rubicon Technology (NASDAQ: RBCN), Bitauto Holdings (NYSE: BITA) and Sify Technologies (NASDAQ: SIFY). Utilities shares dropped by 0.11 percent in the US market today.